One by one, baseballs were tossed out of the stands and into the waiting palm of an in-the-moment star. Joe Kelly leaned casually against the short wall outside the Red Sox dugout on Wednesday, making small talk, cracking a few jokes, and signing whatever came his way.

There were more than a dozen baseballs, at least one glove, and two Joe Kelly Fight Club t-shirts.

After all the autographs were signed and more than a few photographs taken, Kelly retreated down the stairs, through the clubhouse door, and back into relative obscurity.

“I think he’s one of the better guys in Major League bullpens late in the game at this point,” Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “I don’t know why people don’t look at him as that. If you look at his numbers, they’re strong. If you look at his stuff, it’s strong. We look at him as a premium (reliever).”